Mobile Bidding

Mobile bidding is a key component of Greater Giving Online Bidding. Mobile bidding is a paperless way to manage bidding at your next fundraising auction. Thousands of our clients are utilizing mobile bidding for one simple reason: they raise more! Guests pull out their smartphones and seamlessly mobile bid from anywhere at your event.

Overview

Mobile bidding technology transforms the traditional silent auction into an interactive activity in every corner of your event and a 24x7 online fundraiser—allowing you to raise money before, during, and after your live event. With mobile bidding, your attendees can bid on auction items using their own smartphones or at bidding stations. Mobile bidding introduces the best facets of the online bidding experience - ease of use and heightened competition - to your live event, adding enthusiasm to your fundraiser and a way to raise more funds.

Features

Your own, mobile-optimized event – Your auction site is optimized for any type of mobile browsers, so bidders can enjoy search, browse, and bidding capabilities via phones that use iPhone®, Android and other operating systems.

Laptops and tablet bidding – Attendees who do not own or wish to use smart phones can place bids on laptops or tablets in the room.

Buy Now feature – To allow bidders to purchase packages for a fixed price.

Bid Tracking – “Watch” a package to track it on the ‘My Bids’ page, without placing a bid.

What Our Clients Say

“With mobile bidding in place, data entry at the event was non-existent. Volunteers were relaxed and stress-free, and guests had a great time. And because bidding was mobile and not on paper, guests could continue bidding through dinner, driving silent auction bids higher than ever.”
— The Arc of San Antonio, TX

“Mobile bidding gave us an excuse to get people's info and our guests came willing to give. We are definitely doing mobile bidding again!”
— Mission City Community Fund, CA

FAQs

What is Greater Giving Online Bidding?

Greater Giving Online Bidding is a new way to manage bidding at your next fundraising auction. This innovative tool —fully integrated with Greater Giving Event Software Online— can transform your silent auction into a 24x7 online fundraiser that allows you to raise money before, during, and after your live event. With online bidding, your attendees can bid on auction items in the room using their own smartphones. Greater Giving Online Bidding introduces the best facets of the online bidding experience - ease of use and heightened competition - to your live event, enabling you to add new excitement to your fundraiser and to raise more money.

What are the benefits of switching to online vs traditional bidding?

Get more bids than you would by using clipboards - the system will send alerts to bidders’ phones when they have been outbid, generating additional activity.

Give your attendees a better experience - it’s easier and more convenient for them to bid from wherever they happen to be - in line at the bar, mingling with other guests, etc. - without having to fight the crowds to make their way back to display tables and write in their new bids.

Make your event more exciting - you can track, display, and announce results in real time, to create heightened “auction fever.”

Save time and reduce hassles with streamlined check-out, since bidders have already provided their credit card details online.

What about attendees who don’t own or don’t want to use mobile phones?

Our research suggests that the majority of people who attend silent auctions own smart phones, so while we expect a very small number of your attendees to fall into this category, you should have a few laptops or tablets on-site so that everyone is able to participate. Also, you might consider having volunteers in the room to assist those who prefer not to use online bidding, particularly if these bidders also happen to be major donors! Your volunteers can confer with attendees who want to participate, and can enter bids on their behalf.

Can we send text messages to our guests?

You can send blast text or email messages to your guests to keep them engaged throughout the event.

Should the gavel items at the live auction be mobile-enabled?

This is something that you and your auctioneer will want to determine. The items that you are offering in your live auction with an auctioneer are typically managed separately. However, you can use the platform to list particular items as a “live event only” preview for your attendees and to acknowledge item donors. It is possible to include high-ticket items usually offered in a live auction, but this typically works best with an auctioneer or emcee, who can keep the excitement going by announcing bids, hot items, and by “selling” your high-ticket items.

Can we continue to use clipboards and bid sheets to supplement the online bidding?

We do not recommend doing a silent auction with clipboards in conjunction with online bidding, because that may confuse your bidders. You can print and display item sheets, which include descriptions, images, and other pertinent information. This will provide attendees with the same information as the item pages on your auction website, in a format that they may be more comfortable with.

What is the ideal timeline for a online bidding event?

This depends on a number of factors that are specific to your organization and your fundraising goals. Greater Giving Online Bidding is designed to take the pressure off of your live event as your sole, one-night opportunity to meet your fundraising target. You have several flexible options to choose from as you plan your event. It is recommended that you create your event website 2-4 months prior to the event, and launch the site 3-4 weeks prior to your event. If you are opening bidding prior to the live event, it’s best to begin 1-2 weeks before the event, with the leading online bids becoming the opening bids for items moved into the room. With online bidding in the room, you can choose to have bidding continue for selected items.

How will online bidding impact registration and check-in?

It can enable you to streamline registration, reducing long lines and wait time at check-in, because the platform will allow your attendees to register before the event. However, we strongly advise that you have several computers available at your event so that anyone who hasn’t pre-registered can do so upon arrival.

How will online bidding impact check-out?

Since your bidders will have already registered online and provided payment information when they placed their first bid, the check-out process is greatly streamlined.